The invention described herein addresses a box and a blank which can be folded into a box having interlapped end flaps, and tabs and notches which cooperate to hold the box in a generally rectangular configuration.
In the past, interlapped end flaps have been used to close boxes with differing degrees of success. Normally, box end flaps do not have corners designed to be inserted into slots on the adjacent end flaps. In particular, boxes constructed in the past have not typically had slots interspaced away from the corners, and have not utilized tabs which can be inserted into these slots to make the normal interweaving of the box end flaps more secure. Consequently, the strength of boxes with interlapped end flaps has depended upon the relative strength of the material from which the box is constructed, the relative extent of the overlap between the end flaps, the degree of overall strength embodied in the box material, the presence or absence of adhesives, sealing tape or other fasteners, such as staples, and numerous other factors.
Consequently, there has been a long felt need for a blank and a box which can be constructed therefrom with interlocking end flaps which are notched to form tabs and slots to surprisingly strengthen the configuration when the box is assembled. Additionally, there has been a long felt need for boxes which are capable of being unfolded and stored in the flat condition, and which can be reassembled into the box configuration without substantially weakening after repeated use, thus retaining substantially the same strength as when used in the initial box configuration.